Seven Years
by Kato Chinatsu
Summary: No matter how long he waits, that gold band resting upon the ring finger of the person that he loves would forever be a cruel reminder that Akashi could never be completely his.


_**Kato:**_**_ In line with AkaKuro Week 2014._**_I got the idea for this… while I am attending my Physics tuition. x'D_

_**Concept of the Story: **__No matter how long he waits, that gold band resting upon the ring finger of the person that he loves would forever be a cruel reminder that Akashi could never be completely his._

_**Disclaimer: **__Kuroko no Basket solely belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi._

_If the story is not appealing to the respective reader, feel free to press the back button. Thank you for the consideration of reading this!_

_**Warning: Rated M for implied adult scenes. **__Not elaborated, but quite detailed. And I guess I made Kuroko quite yandere so… Warning for OOC?_

* * *

What is _forever_?

* * *

In this monochromatic world, it is very seldom to decipher the different shades of colors which comprise it. Blooming in different structural forms, they become only comprehensible when one had a clear grasp of it. To Kuroko Tetsuya, it was the passionate color of liquid crimson that he had come to recognize. The heart warming color gradually thawed the walls he had unintentionally built to encompass his struggling heart. The color was a clear representation of that sole man he had come to love ever so unconditionally. It was the color of liquid crimson that he came to cherish like a delicate and intricate blessing carved specifically for him by the heavens above. It was, after all, _his_ color.

Before he had come to know of him and his existence, he did not believe in that highly-spoken nirvana that was derived out of loving someone. The world had been nothing but monochromatic and dull to his equally dull eyes that lacked of expression far longer than he could recall. Nothing existed out there that could truly define ethereal beauty, and that was the mindset he had come to acknowledge at time shifted continuously forward. Beauty in general was inexistent to his eyes, until he came across that flash of blazing red.

He was christened with the name of Akashi Seijuuro, and he could vaguely remember his thoughts back then of how that beautifully constructed name was highly befitting for a man of eccentricity. That was all his attention permitted to acknowledge; the name of the man. Out of his exuding disinterest with regards to his perception of life, his lack of interest for the man ironically drove said man's interest to be piqued instead, in speculation of gaining recognition from the unmoving bluenette who was a mere stranger to him then.

It was Akashi who made the effort to approach him, seeing as he was not willing to take actions upon matters he deemed inessential. He had ever been so patient with breaking past his walls, unwilling to resign himself to result to acts induced by complete desperation. It was Akashi who taught him how to become normal and to accept the thousand array of flaws that existed there in that world. There was no alternative choice to it. He had to accept the world for the impurities that it had simply because it was the world wherein Akashi existed. It was the sole world wherein the man had come to exist along with him.

Seconds rolled to minutes, and minutes rolled to hours. Hours rolled to days, and days rolled to weeks. Eventually, he had come to acknowledged a presence that was naturally welcoming. Little by little, he had come to know the life of a man he did not expect that would leave a permanent and excruciating scar upon his life.

Looking past his riches, his fame, and all his existing glory, underneath them all was a man who was of his exact, perfect match. No one understood him better than the man would; his ideologies, perceptions, beliefs, everything. Rarely did they have any contrasting ideas, and Kuroko took great appreciation of a company that was worthwhile keeping. Over time, the two of them had considerably grown inseparable. At first, out of pure innocence, he had believed for it to be simply out of a sibling-like context. How wrongly had he assumed.

Weeks rolled to months and followed with succeeding others. In that brief span of time, he had come to acknowledge of a distinctive abnormality on his being. Ever so gradually, he started harboring impure affections for the man he had come to giving acknowledgement in his life. He had come to possess emotions he should not be harboring in the very first place. _Impure! Impure! Impure! _He berated himself that repeatedly whenever his palpitating heart would start fluttering even to the mere thought of his companion. Despite his self-criticism, there was nothing he could have done to extinguish the fire he ignited upon by himself.

Upon a short transition of time, he had come to the idea of complete isolation of himself once again with the reasoning that it would have to be for the best. With his impure feeling kept mum, Akashi was at a loss for the sudden icy cold distance he had started to place on them once again. He was willing to crawl back just to keep his impurity away from his companion. He was intent on the idea as a matter of fact. But Akashi would not have it either way.

Enclosed in a trap with no room for escape unless he provided a thorough and acceptable explanation, there was nothing that he could do but to confess. Underneath the ethereal beauty that was of the cascading fully bloomed cherry blossoms, Kuroko Tetsuya confessed of the heartfelt, yet impure emotions he bore for his friend. He was prepared to be scorned of. He was prepared to face repulsion and disgust. He was prepared to face barrage of criticisms and torrents of mockery. But none of those ever did came.

Instead, a pair of heartwarming arms encircled his frame ever so delicately before the softest of lips tasted his own parted ones. Bewildered aquamarine pupils gazed disbelievingly at tender crimson hues before the former fluttered delicately close to relish the foreign sensation that was creeping along his chest. Neither were experienced and everything started as blissfully sweet as they were supposed to. The innocent pressing of lips escalated to passionate exchange, from sweetly soft suckles on the lips to languid caresses of pink tongues.

It was pure unconditional love that had pulled them towards each other right from the very start and both of them had come to acknowledge that wonderful sensation. With whispered exchanges of _I love you's_, they surged forth and stepped over a boundary by which neither could turn back to no matter what their decisions would be. Not that either of them regretted their course of action.

In each other's arms, there was a sense of completion that neither could elaborately describe; a sense of completion they could never find in the presence of other's. There was no point in denying something that they had come to acknowledge.

They had fallen in love, and Kuroko could not help but to think to himself...

It was a good first year.

* * *

What is the value of _forever_?

* * *

To love and be loved with no restrictions of boundaries was exhilarating and heartwarming. There was nothing he would not give to that person, as the person would to him. For once in his life, he felt utterly treasured and cherished, like a million priceless possessions compressed into the form of one being. Akashi love him unconditionally, never failing to utter a string of loving words every single day. He felt utterly pampered, and it was welcomed.

The man respected his whole being, ever so careful not to do anything that might disappoint him or might disapprove of. Hundreds of kisses filled of passion they have shared for as far as they could remember. It would always be the same position: those warm hands encircling his petite waist, pulling him flush against that perfect built whilst his own hands entangled in the silky tresses of liquid crimson locks. It had always been Akashi whom initiated everything in their relationship, and it had always been Kuroko who would succumb. It was fulfilling that way.

To desire and be desired... the mere sensuality of the thought was tantalizing. As those hands sensually danced underneath the surface of his clothing, heatedly caressing every expanse of pale alabaster skin, the mere thought of being wanted and needed by someone was utterly fulfilling. Because it was not just a thought. It was a factual information. There was nothing in the world that Akashi treasured above everything else but him. Comparatively to the connection of body and soul, he was the soul to his lover's body. For him to be taken away, it was as if thoroughly undergoing the process of death without yet the actual experience of death. Complicated, but that was how he perceived things to be.

It was along that year that he had fully submitted himself to the man. As the vast expanse of the sky shifted from its dawning orange to its midnight blue hue, repeatedly they made love to each other in complete abandon, giving each other everything that they had to offer and all the more. It left pain coursing through his system thereafter, but the succession of pleasured groans and strings of _I love you's_ against one of his ears, coupled with the pleasurable sensation of finally being physically united with that person he love made all of it worthwhile.

It was at that moment that everything had been sealed out of promises. In that saccharinely sweet voice, a promise had been uttered with utmost conviction. It was a promise of eternal and unconditional love, and he had been quite foolish so as to easily accept that everything would remain completely and utterly the same. Because that promise was supposed to bind the two of them, was it not?

He had given his whole being to Akashi. What else could he possibly lose simply by accepting and clinging onto a promise. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And he firmly believed that.

With that firm belief in mind, he held onto that promise solemnly. There was, after all, nothing he could deny the male of.

It had been a blissful second year.

* * *

When does a promise of _forever _come to an end?

* * *

It had always been by norm that, when you desperately love someone, you either have to make sacrificial acts or lose something you personally held dear just to be with that person. The world was never molded to be kind to the living souls that dwell upon it. Never was things given in kind, especially when things had seemed to be utterly perfect. The world was just that cruel.

The news of Akashi being engaged to someone whose existence knew not of greatly startled him. That was the initial reaction that he portrayed. As soon as the words fully sank into his mind, then came the excruciating emotional pain. To have something taken away from you so effortlessly... that was what hurt the most. And the mere fact of being unable to accomplish anything, to fight for what was his rubbed salt to the existing wound. There was nothing the man could do but to oblige.

Running away could have been an option, _should _have been an option, but the power of influence the Akashi's father had was something not to be reckoned with.

With the news of the engagement, he mentally prepared himself for those words that would cut them loose. It was just two words... _It's over_, was the only response he was awaiting for. But instead, what he heard was _'Don't let go'_. Akashi was requesting that nothing were to change between them. It was selfish, it was inconsiderate, but there was absolutely no way would he lose the person he had come to love.

The request was something that could have been indirectly stated as _'Will you be my paramour?'_. Indeed, it was, but both of them understood the implication of that request. Wedding a woman out of business arrangement and conceiving an heir from her... whilst at the same time, having a lover on the side. It stung to know that in a societal view, he was the least of Akashi's concern. It stung, but the pain he would surely have to endure once he permanently lose Akashi was incomparable.

_Will you sin with me? _was the unspoken request.

Before he could make a rational decision in his mind, his body and heart made the decision for him. His soul had long been condemned to hell, he reasoned. Ever since he fell for Akashi. Flashing one of his rare and genuine smiles at his lover, the response was ever so clear. He would just have to accept things would roll into his life. No matter how excruciating they might possibly be.

Acceptance.

Yet, there was no denying the pain of having to make that difficult and resigned decision as tears ever so slowly cascaded his cheeks still with that smile on his lips, then becoming more pained by the second.

It had been an eventful third year.

It was still... part of that _forever_... right?

* * *

How long is _forever_?

* * *

Nimble fingers impeccably fixed the pristine white crooked tie on the male's suit, keeping a nonchalant expression on his features as he did so to mask the bubbling pain that was gradually surfacing itself. As soon as the task was done, he forced himself to turn away with the intention of walking right out of those double-doors so that the ceremony might be done and over soon. Before he could even proceed with his plan, a pair of arms tightly gripped him from behind. Akashi buried his face ever so carefully against the crook of his neck, inhaling a scent that was distinctively of Kuroko Tetsuya.

As he was embraced from behind, he simply pressed his teeth against his tongue, fighting off the urge to ask the male so selfishly. Was it not enough that he had to endure everything of this whole fiasco, standing beside the man as his supposed best man? The metallic taste of his blood flooded his senses and his mouth, but that taste in itself brought him back to how he was supposed to act: a supportive best man for the groom.

Gently prying himself off of his grasp, he made his way towards that door. Everything would change once he took that step out of that door. The entire image of him and Akashi would cease to exist. Yet, with that knowledge in mind, there was nothing he could do but to force himself out into that cold, unforgiving world.

In the end, he simply clung onto a promise that was solemnly made to him. Akashi was his. Always. _Forever_. That was all he needed to know, all the encouragement that he needed to step out into the world.

The woman he had been betrothed to was a fine and young delicate woman of magnificent beauty and equally beautiful personality. Her being was natural, and any man would feel blessed for being able to be wedded to her. Despite that, Akashi showed no interest, no warmth to her. Everything that he was doing was solely for the interest of his father. He could care less if what stood before him was a goddess.

Because the beautiful crimson hues of those eyes were solely transfixed to Kuroko Tetsuya. He was only his to own.

The woman was far from oblivious. There had to be a skeptical part of her that ponder of the closeness of his supposed to-be husband and his 'best man'. Eventually, she would sense something amiss as her husband would gradually distance himself from her.

A part of him almost sympathized the woman for the marriage life she would undoubtedly be put through. He could already visualize the dark future that lay ahead in his mind. Though she might be the one he would bed, though she might be another who would get to see what used to be solely his, she could _never _in her life attain the heart that was already possessed by another.

She might attempt to be the perfect Akashi wife to him, and see to it herself that nothing would displease her to-be husband. She could try her hand in persuading the male to love him, but they would all be fruitless.

A part of him almost pitied her. _Almost_.

What was there to pity of the woman who was bound on taking away that person who meant everything to him?

The wedding bells resounded from above with the indication that it was time to face the music. Slowly, he sensed his being of humanity slipping away.

Four years had passed by unceremoniously. The fourth year had been in turmoil.

* * *

How tight should one hold onto a promise of _forever_?

* * *

The rationality of his mind was undoubtedly slipping as time passed by. The impurities of the world he had scorned at, he became a part of. It had to be because of love. The emotion was just intoxicating, leaving him to do as what his heart willed. What his heart willed... was to love and be loved.

The fact that the man he is in love was wedded... and the fact that the man's supposed wife was already conceiving his child... None of them registered in his mind. Because to a person who was in love, nothing mattered.

As he came to visit Akashi one fine morning as the wife was out in a celebratory party for her pregnancy, the very moment their eyes met, he was swept off of his feet and carried to the master bedroom. Their eyes held evident unspoken longing, and neither wasted any time as they hurriedly stripped off each other's clothing. Strings of _I missed you _and _I love you _left their lips before they pressed together desperately in the urge to quench their desire for each other, and parting over time to accommodate the slick muscles of pink tongues. Their hands ever so greedily caressed pale expanse of alabasters skins, igniting a blazing fire along the trails by which their fingers sensually danced. Kuroko succumbed to the heated caresses, urgent whispers against his lover's lips asking for more. It was not enough. The desire to continuously... to endlessly have what should have been rightfully his was intoxicating.

Asking only to be partially prepared, his request to be filled was granted as his entrance was stretched in a slightly painful manner after being untouched for so long. But it was a welcomed pain. It was a proof that he was with him after so long a time.

The sacred room for the wife and the husband had then been defiled, becoming a den for the husband and his paramour. Lust-filled moans and satisfied passionate groans reverberated throughout the expanse of the room, further dragging the both of them down to succumb to their basic primal needs. Akashi did not make a move to stop with his actions, repeatedly filling the bluenette with everything that he had to offer, and Kuroko did not mind. He welcomed the sensation of his insides repeatedly being injected by his lover's thick and copious amount of seed that had long overflowed and stained the aquamarine sheets below. Rather, he was the one who _asked _for more. His eyes closed in a dream-like state as torrents of love-bites were placed to adorn his skin.

Pride was casted aside. He had shut off the rational part of his mind.

There was no definite grasp of time when they had fallen asleep; him lying on his side as Akashi embraced him from behind whilst still being inside of him. His eyes fluttered open, a satisfied miniscule smile curling his lips as that completion of being with the man he love was felt once again. But the smile was short-lived.

Allowing for his eyes to dart about the room, he noticed that the door was ajar by a good three inches, revealing the sight of the stunned and silently weeping wife; the sight only visible to him on his side. Should Akashi even awoke and notice the door was ajar, he would not have a chance of seeing her. But she could see them _clearly_.

The rational part of his mind would have forced him to haphazardly put his clothes on and to leave the house. The rational part, that is. That part he had shut out not so long ago. He wished he could pity her. He really did, but he had a fixed mindset that she took him away from him. However, Akashi Seijuuro would always be his.

With a small, questionably apologetic smile on his lips, he turned his head to the side to press kisses upon his lover's face to coax him awake. Whispering a confession of love and it being requited fully, their lips engaged once again in a lip-lock as their lower bodies gradually began to eagerly move, seeking out that pleasure that only the other could possibly provide. The obscene sight was clearly visible to the weeping wife who was too frozen in place to even contemplate on moving.

Shifting in their respective positions, the bluenette pulled out the healthy length of his lover from inside of him ever so sensually, exposing the sight of the pure white seeds flowing from his stretched entrance before it was filled once again as he straddled his lover's lap. Smiling with one of his rarest and genuine smiles, he took one of his lover's hands and led it to the picture frame of the married couple by the bedside table. His aquamarine hues requested for solely one thing at that moment.

And it was granted.

With a quick flick of the wrist, the picture frame was slammed forward unceremoniously, showing clearly of Akashi's non-existent desire for the wife.

The smile on his lips widened ever the more as he sensed the silent presence briskly move away from the forbidden sight. And... he did not care.

Five years, and still, Seijuuro was his.

* * *

Does the promise of _forever _come with a price?

* * *

When the child was born, a healthy baby boy of cherub cheeks and pale alabaster skin, Kuroko did not expect for his reaction to have been the way it was.

There was the logical perception of loathing the child, and he did but it was not in an equilibrium with his bitterness of the infant's mother who was then a figure of depression and lifelessness. But instead of that overpowering hatred, there was _affection_.

As his dull aquamarine eyes took in the sight of the infant, what he saw was that flash of liquid crimson; the very first color his eyes had ever seen and had come to love. If it was under different circumstances, if the infant bore any significant traits of his mother, there was no doubt that that hatred would exist. But the child did not. He was like... a carbon copy of the infant Akashi Seijuuro that he had seen once so many years back. How could he hate the child who bore the face and the color that he had come to love?

With a calculated expression and hesitance on his face, he outstretched his arms towards his lover in a silent request to hold the child. In comparison to him, Akashi handed the child over, knowing that his lover was incapable of harming the child himself. From the corner of his eyes, powder-blue pupils noted the paling expression of the wife and the evident fear on her features. Right. She would expect him to do something rash of the child.

But he would not.

The child was welcomed, she was not. He knew exactly what was going through her mind when she was conceiving the child. _He would come to love me through you... You would make everything complete. We could be a family finally... He would not have to sleep with another because he would come to love us very much. _It was a foolish belief. A man could love his child without having to love his wife. And at that point, that was the case. Akashi could love the child for the child was devoid of her, but he still would not love her. The world was just that cruel.

And he would utilize the cruelty of the world to take back what was his and more.

Just a few more sinful nights on that sacred room he had defiled so many times before and the infant's acceptance was all he needed for her to push herself away from her despair… and to her demise. A child ever so beautiful and perfect would complete the family he always had in mind for him and Akashi. Her loss would mean absolutely nothing to him, because he did nothing directly against to harm her. It was simply the deliverance of the truth and the reality. A reality that she soon would not be able to accept anymore.

A part of him pitied her. But that part was slowly ebbing away into the horizon.

Six years had passed. It was bitter-sweet, like tasting the sweetest of wine of a snake's chalice.

* * *

_Forever_… it truly is a maddening promise.

* * *

Every single action of kindness he took that was directed straight or indirectly to her ever since the past four years had all been half lies. By nature, it was natural of him to exude of kindness, and that was one of the key reasons why his love was requited in kind. But the past four years had changed his perception to life. The world rejected him of his only happiness. By all means, what his actions had led to… was simply caused by the cruelty of the world which he showed upon her.

Kneeling by the gravestone of the deceased wife of Akashi, he murmured a sincere prayer to her soul on the heavens above in the presence of the family she left behind. A family that would then become his… soon. Brushing nimble fingers affectionately against the engraved name upon the gravestone, a miniscule sincere smile etched upon his lips as he whispered an equally eternal promise to her in his saccharinely sweet voice.

"Do not worry. I will care for them in your place."

He raised his eyes to meet Akashi's, but those crimson hues were directed at the gravestone a mere two feet away from him; eyes devoid of guilt and devastation from the loss of his wife.

_No matter how long he waits, that gold band resting upon the ring finger of the person that he loves would forever be a cruel reminder that Akashi could never be completely his._

Liquid crimson and aquamarine hues met in a lingering gaze, each trying to understand what could possibly be transpiring in the mind of the other. The dull gleams in their eyes were enough to convey the unspoken messages in their minds.

With her death and the acts he committed against her, Kuroko then fully acknowledged that he could care less. And just by looking at Akashi, he knew full well…

He did not either.

Seven years had passed since their fated meeting. It was peaceful.

* * *

_Thank you for reading!_


End file.
